always...

chapter 107 - bokuaka

"keiji-! careful! i told you to watch your step!" bokuto panicked.

akaashi stumbled through the elevator doors and into the penthouse, nearly tripping on his own feet as he turned around to look at bokuto.

"c'mere, i wanna hug you," akaashi slurred, opening up his arms towards his boyfriend.

bokuto sighed and walked into his embrace.

"you reek of sweat and alcohol," bokuto mumbled into his shoulder, patting his back gently.

"you love me anyway," akaashi giggled, the smell of booze on his breath.

bokuto wrapped his arms around akaashi's waist and picked him up.

"hey-what're ya doin'??" akaashi objected.

bokuto put akaashi over his shoulder, "you're going to take a shower."

the captain carried akaashi up the stairs and to the bathroom where he finally set him down and started helping him undress. it took a few minutes with akaashi being as drunk as he was since he kept getting his foot caught in his pant leg.

bokuto turned on the water and made sure it was warm enough before helping akaashi step in.

"won't you join meeee?" akaashi begged, a dopey grin plastered across his face.

bokuto shook his head and muttered something indistinct before beginning to strip. finally, he joined akaashi in the shower, immediately running his hand through the setter's dark hair.

"bo...i'm tired...will you help me?"

wordlessly, the ace reached down and grabbed the shampoo. he began lathering it into akaashi's wet locks, the scent of eucalyptus and mint wafting through the bathroom.

akaashi hummed, relaxing into bokuto's touch as he massaged his scalp. once he had rinsed the shampoo out, bokuto conditioned akaashi's hair, rinsed it again, and then started to wash his own.

"my turn," akaashi smiled, turning towards bokuto.

the ace's usual spiky hair had deflated under the warm water and now stuck to the sides of his face. akaashi picked up the shampoo bottle and clumsily began washing bokuto's hair.

bokuto cringed slightly as akaashi got soap in his eye, but he let it slide considering how tipsy akaashi still was.

note to self, don't give keiji too many drinks while i'm working...regardless of how hot he looks.

the two finished up their shower and grabbed their respective towels to dry off. splitting to their separate bedrooms, they each got dressed into their pajamas.

"bo? can we sleep in your room tonight?" akaashi asked, standing in the doorway that connected their rooms.

"sure," bokuto smiled, still drying his hair.

akaashi sat down on the edge of bokuto's bed, "will you sing me that song i like?"

"kaashi, there are a lot of songs. you have to be a bit more specific than that babe," bokuto chuckled.

"the one you like to dance to," akaashi smiled.

"hmm...i'll sing it, but only if you dance with me. okay?"

"aww...but i'll trip and fall!"

"i'll hold onto you, don't worry."

bokuto took akaashi's hand and pulled him off the bed. he wrapped his arm around akaashi's waist and held him close to his chest, their hands laced together.

"you're just too good to be true...can't take my eyes off of you," bokuto sang, his voice low and resonant.

akaashi rested his head on bokuto's shoulder, closing his eyes as he felt his body heat up from the ace's warmth.

"you'd be like heaven to touch...i wanna hold you, so much...at long last, love has arrived...and thank god i'm alive...you're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off of you..."

bokuto swayed the two of them back and forth as he hummed the instrumental, keeping akaashi close enough to his body that he could smell the scent of shampoo in his hair.

"i love you baby, and if it's quite alright...i need you baby, to warm the lonely night..." he continued, skipping over a few words he forgot as he continued to sing softly.

akaashi felt bokuto's breath tickle his ear and giggled lightly, suddenly stumbling on his feet and falling backward toward the bed.

bokuto extended his arm and caught akaashi, leaning over him, their faces only inches apart, "now that i've found you, stay and let me love you baby..."

akaashi smirked and looped his arms up around bokuto's neck, then pulled the two of them down onto the bed.

bokuto hovered over akaashi, the tips of their noses just barely touching, "let me love youuu..."

bright gold met deep turquoise as the two shared a brief yet longing gaze. finally, akaashi pulled bokuto down a bit further and pressed their lips together.

their eyes fluttered shut in a moment of peace, the feeling of each other's lips bringing a familiar comfort over them. bokuto relaxed as he let himself rest on top of akaashi, their bodies gently pressed together.

"i love you, keiji," bokuto whispered.

"i love you too."

bokuto planted another quick peck on akaashi's forehead before moving off of him. bokuto sat down on the bed with his back against the frame as akaashi rolled over and put his head in bokuto's lap.

the captain pulled the blanket up over their bodies then began stroking akaashi's hair, his soft curly locks like silk between his fingers.

it wasn't long before akaashi fell asleep and bokuto decided it was time to turn in. he slowly reached over towards the lamp on his nightstand, when he heard a short knock at the door.

"akaashi-san?" bokuto questioned quietly.

the door pushed open slightly, "kō-kun, how many times do i have to tell you to just call me hiromi? or if you want, okā-san is good too," akaashi's mother smiled.

"i'm sorry...keiji's asleep already, did you need something?"

"i actually wanted to talk to you privately...he won't wake up will he?"

"nope...he's out like a light," bokuto grinned.

"alright...i've been meaning to ask what you're planning to do for college?" she asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"well...i'm just going to go to a local university to stay close to keiji. i still have to make sure i have my financial aid set for dorms and stuff too," bokuto sighed.

"kōtarō sweetie, don't worry about that. i can help you with tuition and if it's easier, you can just continue living with us," she suggested.

"oh no, i couldn't...you've done so much for me already and i don't want to have to burden you for the next few years either, i-"

"shh...you are not a burden to us kōtarō. i will repeat that as many times as i have to. look at you two right now," she gestured to akaashi fast asleep in bokuto's lap, "you know, he still flinches when i try to hug him sometimes...i didn't think he'd recover too quickly after years of abuse from him, but you've helped him so much."

"it's nothing really...therapy has helped him a lot too and-"

"kōtarō. i'm grateful for you and for how you have helped keiji. you're already like my own son and i would like to do anything i can to help you. please, trust me and let me be there for you?" she urged, her tone cautious yet kind.

"i...okay...thank you, hiromi," tears began to form in bokuto's eyes making the gold glimmer in the faint light from the lamp.

"come here," she reached out, wrapping her arms around bokuto's broad shoulders, shushing him and rubbing circles into his back as he started to cry.

after a few moments, bokuto pulled away, still sniffling slightly.

"thank you so much," his whispered, his voice a bit shaky.

"you're welcome...just let me know when the wedding is, okay?" she teased, nudging bokuto's arm.

"i will."